Proctor Norman Image 1 Rotherham County 1922

Description

Alnwick, Northumberland born inside left Norman Proctor was a talented schoolboy footballer who represented Durham at schoolboy level. and played as a wartime guest for West Ham United during 1918-19, but started his peacetime football career after the First World War in North East football with Spen Black & White in 1919, playing for Scotswood in 1920 and Blyth Spartans in 1921 before signing for Second Division Rotherham County in the 1922 close season, making his Football League debut against Sheffield Wednesday that August.

He scored once for County in 23 appearances as they suffered relegation at the season end, but he did enough to impress First Division club West Ham United to sign him over the summer of 1923 five years on from his wartime appearances, and he scored the only top flight goal of his career in a 1-1 draw with Notts County in March 1924, making 7 appearances for The Hammers before joining Second Division club Leicester City in the summer of 1924.

He didn’t get much of a look in at Filbert Street as their strong side, with the likes of Arthur Chandler and Johnny Duncan, stormed to the Second Division Championship, Proctor playing 5 matches for The Foxes, but he ended two seasons of mainly reserve team football by joining Tranmere Rovers in the 1925 close season, where he missed only two matches of their 1925-26 campaign, scoring a dozen goals, the best return of his career, including a hat-trick in a win over Nelson in May 1925. But he played far less often the next season, and left Prenton Park to join Halifax Town after 14 goals in 59 appearances for Tranmere.

He enjoyed four seasons at The Shay, converting to left half from 1928, missing only 3 matches in 1928-29, scoring 4 goals in 133 appearances for The Shaymen before joining North Eastern League club Workington in 1931, where he spent two seasons before ending his career with a spell at Newbiggin West End in 1933 before his eventual retirement.